What's that? EU wastes money on mp3 loud sound risk study

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Tuesday, 14 October 2008 14:36

Opinion and Analysis

Turns out there already is an EU safety standard on “restricting the noise level of personal music players” to 100 dB. So, what’s the problem?

Apparently it is “increased concern over hearing damage from excessive exposure to such sources.”

We’re told that “Such damage can be prevented to a large extent by measures such as reducing the noise exposure levels and duration”. Perhaps this is why Apple has a parentally controllable volume limiter in its iPods and iPhones and has had for some time now?

Still, Governments always need to feel useful and meddle in people’s lives. It’s what we pay taxes for, right?

Once again, the scientific opinion states that if people listen for “only 5 hours per week
at high volume control settings (exceeding 89 decibels)”, this would “exceed the current limits in place for noise allowed in the workplace.”

And, in what is clearly a newsflash, we’re told that if users listen for even longer periods at these high volumes, you could experience permanent hearing loss after 5 years, which “approximates to 5-10% of the listeners, which may be between 2.5 and 10 million people in the EU.”

So, what is the Commission going to do now? Can you guess?

They’re going to hold a conference. Yep, a talkfest. It’s scheduled for 2009 in the heart of EU bureaucracy, Brussels, and what are they going to do?

Evaluate the findings of the Scientific Committee with Member States, industry, consumers and other stakeholders and to discuss the way forward.

The seminar is going to “address precautions that users can take, as well as technical solutions to minimise hearing damage and the need for further regulations or revisions of existing safety standards to protect consumers.”

What’s the EU’s advice for consumers? Surely it’s not just to turn the volume down?

Yep, that's about it. The EU’s advice for consumers is that they can take “certain very practical precautions, such as checking their device to see if a maximum volume can be set so as to keep the volume lower, or they can lower the volume manually, and they can take care not to use the personal music player for prolonged periods in the interest of their hearing.”

I wonder how many millions of euros were spent on figuring this out? Probably too many.

The text of the “official scientific opinion” can be found here (PDF link), a so-called “layman’s version” of the opinion is here, and if you really want it, a backgrounder on the scientific committee (the SCENIHR) is here.

The EU. Your tax dollars at work. Well, if you live and work in Europe. No doubt those not in the EU have their governments spending science dollars on similarly unnecessary studies!